Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a really cool fitness event at the Derby Street Shoppes. It was called Cycle & Sweat, a family-fitness block party with all sorts of participating retailers, including Lululemon, ivivva, and Whole Foods Market among others. It was quite the event and right up my alley, so I’m especially glad that I had the chance to attend.

The Cycle & Sweat Fitness Block Party featured three hours of exercise classes with all proceeds benefiting ALS One, a Massachusetts-based organization dedicated to fighting ALS and providing high-level care for those who are diagnosed.

I arrived a little before 9:00 AM when the event started. Registration was a breeze (participants signed up online at Eventbrite) and included some awesome swag with various freebies, deals, and discounts from retailers at the Derby Street Shoppes (i.e. MiniLuxe, Legal Sea Foods).

I registered for the bootcamp class, which was group circuit training with all of the equipment provided and set up by Mobile Fitness Systems.

And they had everything– from a squat rack and kettlebells to TRX and undulation ropes. It was basically an entire gym at the Derby Street Shoppes!

After a quick demo of the movements required for the workout, we got to work!

We performed two rounds of the high-intensity, circuit-style workout and finished with a serious abdominal session that I’m STILL sore from!

Good times!!

All in all, Cycle & Sweat was a wonderful event to benefit a great cause. I already loved shopping at the Derby Street Shoppes, but now there’s even more reason to visit, like these events. And, next month, they’re hosting a Halloween Block Party, which I am so looking forward to attending with Qman. (He wants to be a ghost!) Details below!

Halloween Block Party
In Support of Weymouth Food Pantry
Saturday, October 29, 2016
4:00pm to 6:00pm

P.S. You can still purchase a “Happy Hour Starts Now” tank to benefit the CCFA! But they’re only available for another 5 days, so be sure to hop on it! 🙂

Certain kinds of algae are already commonplace in our diets. For example, your sushi rolls are wrapped in seaweed, the food additive carrageenan is derived from seaweed, and algae-derived Omega-3s are used in supplements for those who shun fish oil. But this humble sea plant suddenly seems poised for its superfood moment. “Algae is earth’s original superfood,” says Mark Brooks, senior vice president of food ingredients at TerraVia, makers of Thrive algae oil. “Before kale, chia, acai and quinoa, there was algae.”

There are plenty of good reasons to eat more algae, in terms of both nutrition and sustainability. On the sustainability front, algae, which can grow up to 30 times faster than corn, doesn’t require a lot of space to produce. “Algae doesn’t require fertile soil, fossil fuels, inorganic fertilizers or pesticides in order to grow,” says Mark R. Edwards, an agribusiness professor emeritus at Arizona State University. “Algae can deliver superior nutrition without pollution or waste.”

Nutritionally, algae has lots to offer — especially to anyone who eats a mostly plant-based diet. “Algae is a vegetarian source of protein, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and B vitamins, including B-12,” says Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “And there is some evidence that the carotenoids, fiber and plant sterols in blue-green algae can play a role in lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammation and protecting against oxidative stress.”

So in what sorts of new ways will you soon be seeing algae? According to Professor Edwards, we can expect algae-based meat alternatives, algae protein powders as a vegan alternative to standard protein powders and algae-based nutrients as functional food ingredients that deliver vitamins and minerals. Products already on store shelves include Thrive, an algae oil by TerraVia. The company claims that the oil has 75 percent less saturated fat than olive oil and that just one tablespoon of it contains 13 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (the amount in a whole avocado). You’ll also find Follow Your Heart’s VeganEgg, a substitute made from algae that scrambles up just like the real thing. And some protein powders, like Olly Smoothie blends, get their protein boost from algae. “Food manufacturers have been excited about the potential of algae to improve the nutritional, taste and sustainability profile of their products,” says Brooks. “So consumers can expect to continue to see more algae products in the year ahead.”

Sally Wadyka is a Boulder, Colorado-based journalist who writes about nutrition, health and wellness.

I sometimes get requests from you guys to create specific recipes. I love this because it can sometimes be hard to think of something new to make. It keeps my eating plan lively and you guys get to… Read more →

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the level of enthusiasm we all should be embracing when enjoying avocados! Nom!

Smashed avocados were one of Mazen’s very first foods, and they continue to be a staple in our house, from slices on a plate to yogamole. I consider avocados to be one of the world’s most nutritious and delicious foods. This paper just published named them one of the best first foods for babies. They contain good-for-you monounsaturated fats, plus they are a good source of fiber, folate, and contain potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Raise your (little) hand if that makes you happy!

To celebrate our love for avocados, Mazen and I made these pita pizzas. He loves anything in pizza form, and these are great for avocado lovers of all ages.

The ingredients include an assortment of fresh things like sprouts, tomato, and fresh oregano. Feel free to tweak the ingredients to what you have on hand.

I used prepared pesto (an artichoke pesto!) as the sauce, but you can also just brush the pitas with olive oil and some dried herbs. Top each pita with a heaped tablespoon of sauce, and a tomato slice.

Followed by a generous amount of shredded cheese!

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until pitas are toasted and cheese is melted.